3D VFX Reel - Mike Brant - 2024
This is my 3D Demo reel showing some of the many projects I worked on at Crafty Apes. As a 3D Generalist at Crafty I would be required to work on nearly every step of the 3D pipeline.
My primary focus was doing Asset Creation. Based on the project I would need to create the asset from scratch all the way past Lookdev, or I would need to work off an external purchased asset. Often it would be a mix of both, many times we would purchase an asset that gets us 70% of the way there. If needed I would then come in and rebuilding the model, adjust or rebuild the textures, connect the shaders or rebuild them.
I became incredibly familiar with Substance Painter while working at Crafty. I got very good at prepping assets for Substance, building my own Smart Materials and working very efficiently to get the job done. My role as a Generalist allowed me to work with many other teams including the Animation, FX, Lighting and Rendering. Other than Asset Creation, I worked extensively in Lighting and Rendering. Often helping out the Animation department as well where I could. I was very proud to be able to shift to multiple departments as a utility anytime work got revised or there was a tight deadline. I worked with so many incredibly talented and wonderful people that will forever be a part of me.
3D Demo Reel 2024 - Info below
For Loki I worked primarily on this "Roxxcart" Sequence. Along with this full CG shot there were many live-action shots that needed background extensions. Requiring us to build numerous shelves full of products, carts, and other department store assets.
This shot required a team of artist to get all the high quality assets made. I was responsible for the shelves of dishware, exercise, beach supplies, electronics, lamps and many of the standees and carts around the aisles.
I worked on the ladder section for this BG Extension. Because the shot dollies forward we had to make sure the assets held up. Often we would use external purchased models then convert/rebuild them to hold up to the live-action elements.
I also helped build the environment for these TVA sequences. Mostly building the ceiling and all the various lights, sprinklers, ducts and smoke detectors.
On Spiderman: No Way Home I was tasked to build the schools side wall for this sequence. Focusing on matching the live-action and the reference of the location school. The school set extends only to the edge of the stairs.
I used Substance for the lookdev of the school extension. Also needed to build an inner corner for the later shot. It had to match the practical set while still following the layout of the real school used on location.
On They Cloned Tyrone I was responsible for multiple signs in various styles. I ended up building many neon signs like this over numerous projects. It was especially fun learning the real way to build neon lights to make mine more accurate.
The lab environment had multiple BG extensions, for which I helped build many of the tunnels. The practical set extended a few lights down from the mouth of the tunnel. My focus on the lookdev was nailing the specular breakup of the concrete material.
Matching all the pieces of the practical set to build the CG extension was very fun and challenging. I built a unique Smart Material in Substance for the concrete in this asset that I continued to use on many other assets.
The Clone Room was the biggest environment I did on the show. It required both a full environment beyond the vats and full CG for the vats both above and below. The entire lower level was built to match the practical set.
We built the Vat area for this shot as well as later CG extensions. This shot has a live-action to CG handoff as the original footage ended when it got above the lights.
The design of the Vat toppers and the backside of the room was up to me to build. The toppers were primarily kitbashed industrial pipes. While the overhead cranes and far walls were built to feel as industrial as the rest of the Lab environment.
This project is one example from the multiple times I was asked to shift over and help the animation team. I was always happy to help out! This matchmove had a very tight turnaround with multiple shots requiring accurate matchmove.
I was very happy to do a few assets on Season 4 of Stranger Things. The door was a CG recreation and I did a quick animation of it blowing off the hinges. The Surfer Boy billboard was all up to me to design and build aside from the graphic.
My main focus on the lookdev for the billboard was making it look run down. It had to look like a billboard that had been out in the elements for a while. Only the advertisement gets changed. Its hard to see but the company is "Brant Outdoor".
On The Out-Laws our primary focus was this car chase and the cemetery sequence. I built the money and did a full cg double of the armored truck. In the end that was mostly just used for FX animation. So the swinging doors would effect the money correctly.
I had the pleasure of leading the early layout of the cemetery. We had scans of the practical cemetery to build our digital cemetery. The practical tombstones were only directly around the truck, we had to populate the rest of the cemetery.
I built the tombstones and their variants off of the practical tombstones we had scans for. As well as various external purchased assets. Along with building the far walls. We were always adjusting the layout based on feedback from the clients.
Along with building many of the assets in this sequence I also helped out with the Lighting and Rendering. I was very proud to work so close with the Lighting, Animation, FX teams and the Supervisors for these sequence.